As I discussed before I interviewed for an administrative position at a local university. The people were personable, and it has the potential to be a great job; however afterwords I was left with a nagging feeling that they were bat shit crazy.
The position I interviewed for was a Director position, yet they asked if I was willing to live in the dorms so that if students had questions they would have someone to talk to. Call me crazy but isn't this what RA's are for if a student has a question after hours? Obviously I told them "No, I am a home owner." They asked if I would be willing to stay overnight in the case of emergencies. I have a nagging suspicion this question came up due to the fact that someone got into the dorms and stabbed two students a few weeks ago. If I get a second interview the question of what constitutes and emergency will be asked.
Here is my quandary. As a teacher I expect that I will have to do some work "after hours", as an adjunct I realize that sometimes I will need to suck it up and grade papers past the hours I am getting paid for. However it seems that the "working for nothing" phenomenon is invading all aspects of our society. Be on call 24 hours in case a student has a question about dorm life, when they can wait until normal business hours? Sure, not a problem! Live on campus so I have no semblance of a personal life? You betcha! Work 16 hour days when I am only getting paid for 8? Why would I say no to that? When did employers expectations become so unreasonable, and why are some people willing to bend over and take it? I personally have some serious reservations about this position and have some heavy duty questions if I receive a second interview. Does anyone have any comments, observations, or suggestions?
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I am reading your archives just now, as I just discovered your blog and LOVE it! I wish I could say these things to people/students/administrators=corporate hacks. I've been teaching online for 6 years.
Yes, I think I know what has happened here. We have simply regressed. I'm by no means a rabid communist or socialist, but think about the union movement in the past century: workers tried to fight for rights - 8 hours for sleep, 8 for leisure, and 8 for work. What has happened to that concept? Where did it go?
The movie "9 to 5" came out in 1980 with Dolly Parton et al.... who in the world works 9-5 anywhere anymore? What has happened in the past 30 years or so? Why are we expected to work ALL the time? What happened to hour lunch breaks, with actual time to eat? What about those 15 minute breaks that are actual laws (in regular jobs)? The kids working at those places don't even know they are afforded those rights by law.
Mobile technology has only made it worse. It's a curse/blessing that we can work from home, or anywhere else...
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